Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2007 16:47 -0700**

Escape Comics #1 - Fall 1972 (FCX Publications) Scott Paauw: editor

Scott Paauw (in his introduction) wrote: We also have a strip by Stanley Sakai, a talented artist, well known in fandom for his sword and sorcery tales. The lead character in this story is Niord, who is the younger brother of Valka, another of Stanley’s creations. Valka’s adventures can be found in several fanzines, one of which is Equinox.

Niord in "The Tomb of Gar-Sagoth"

Stan Sakai wrote:HA! I remember this. I think I was still in high school when I did that. I contributed to a lot of fanzines at that time. I guess the most professional of them was George Breo's Chronicle, which also published a young John Byrne.

This was a time when there were still "fanzines" around. Nowadays, they are called "independent comics".

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2007 20:56 -0700**

Sweet!

Steve, thanks for posting. Ah, 1972, I remember it so well.

Peace,

maka

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2007 22:40 -0700**

Interesting

Well, a typical heroic fantasy story. I know somebody who must have read Roger Zelazny, Robert E. Howard, Lyon Sprague De Camp and others.

Anyway, a very different style from what we read today. Even from the earliest Usagi stories. Except... this use of the word "scum" which rings a bell, somehow.

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:03 -0700**

Wouahhh, it is so, so...

70ies were very different, from now, a good period for music.

Thanks Steve to have scan it !!

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:42 -0700**

I remember this one in particular, because I was under a very tight deadline. Scott had to have the art in a week, and so I did this particular story in 3 days--and it shows.

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:37 -0700**

It's still an amazing find. This could be the earliest work we've seen yet. I would say this is an on-topic discussion.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2010 11:17 -0700**

I think Niord in "The Tomb of Gar-Sagoth" now has some competition for being the earliest published work of Stan Sakai.....

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2010 21:33 -0700**

Frankly, my favorite part of all of these lovely finds is the "Stanley".